"Well you're certainly looking pleased this morning, Sir." Minion had said the next morning as he was carrying the washing from the laundry out to the washing line outside. "Despite Wayne still being a no-show?" added the fish, wondering just how Megamind could possibly look that pleased without any word from his brother since last night.
"Oh am I? I hadn't noticed." Megamind replied chirpily as he turned the page of the book he was reading.
"Are you sure nothing's happening?" asked the fish cautiously, narrowing a golden brown eye at his friend.
"Quite certain. No word from Wayne yet?" he asked, changing the subject like a pro. While Minion had a great memory, unlike some fish and that silly myth that goldfish only had a 3 second memory span, he could be easily distracted by questions and comments about other things. Only after a while did he realize what had happened, and would snap at Megamind about doing that to him.
"No! I'm really getting worried Sir, why don't you call him again?" Minion asked. "I know he can't get hurt but that doesn't mean we shouldn't not care about him!"
"Roxanne was right. You are a Momma fish..." Megamind muttered to himself as he pulled his mobile out of his pocket.
"I'm a what?" Minion asked, "I didn't quite hear that."
"Already dialing!" sung Megamind falsely as he was just about to press a button when his phone rang in his hand. "Or not?" he asked, and spotted the 'Wayne :D' on the phone. "It's Wayne!"
He heard the thud of a laundry basket landing on the floor, and Minion's heavy foot falls as he rushed to stand besides him as Megamind answered.
"Wayne, where are you?" Megamind didn't bother with pleasantries. "What's going on, Minion's been chewing his scales off worrying about you."
"I have not." Minion said as he fanned out his fins in effort to hide a missing scale or two.
Megamind listened to his brother on the phone, his eyes slowly growing wider. Bernard had been attacked last night at the library, seriously injured, almost died, and was now at Lady's house recovering. All this was happening while he was out with Roxanne. He turned his head to look up at Minion who was trying to listen in on the conversation, but couldn't hear that well. He nudged the fish away before turning back to the phone, eyes full of worry. "Do, do you want us to come around?" he asked, and nodded his head as he got the answer, and a few more requests from Wayne. "Yeah sure, of course. Sure yes. See you soon?" he hung up and sat there, eyes wide still.
"Morning you two!" Roxanne walked into the dining hall, just fastening her ear rings into place. "Sleep we-what's going on?" she saw the worried expressions on the two aliens.
"Bernard was attacked last night." Megamind said, causing both Minion and Roxanne to gasp in shock. "Wayne managed to get him to our medical professionals but it was pretty bad..." he looked down at the phone in his hand. "They almost choked him to death and... his face got slashed pretty bad."
"Oh my God." Roxanne whispered.
"He, he wants me to grab a few pajamas for Bernard to wear, socks and... and stuff like that. He'll be in there for a few more days..." Megamind got to his feet and set his book on the table.
"Let me help." Roxanne followed after him as he began to climb the stairs.
"Don't you have work?" he asked, looking over his shoulder at her.
"I can use a sick day. This is important, he's my friend remember?" she asked back. "Please. I can't go to work not knowing how he is."
Megamind paused in his climbing of the stairs and smiled faintly at her. "All right. You won me over."
"Hah." she grinned and ran her fingertips just lightly against his arm as she walked around him to continue up the stairs, this time he followed her the rest of the way to Bernard and Wayne's room. Roxanne had never been inside Wayne's room, nor Megamind or Minion's for that point, so she didn't know what to expect. Would there be clothes everywhere? Bernard was a bit of a neat freak so his stuff would probably be put away somewhere already but what was Wayne like? Would her friend have to whip his new boyfriend into shape? "So which door...?" Roxanne asked.
He took over once again and approached a wooden door. "This one." he said as he pushed the door open to reveal a room about the same size as the guest room that Roxanne was staying in, so... fairly big. There was a chandelier hanging majestically from the ceiling, a large four poster bed was pushed up against a wall and the carpet was a rich red color while the wall paper was white and gold. It was an interesting color combination. All the furniture was an eggshell white, ranging from the drawers, large closet, and a writing table near a huge window that had white drapes open.
On one of the walls was a pin board that was covered in photographs, maps, and even bobby pins that had string leading from one to the other. It was how Wayne kept track of the vampire movements, it seemed, and she had to smile faintly when she saw pinned above it all was a photograph of Bernard that was a few years old. She could tell, because his glasses were square and he hadn't worn those square glasses on at least four years.
"Neat." Roxanne commented on the room since it really was. The only thing out of place was Bernard's suitcases, propped open on the floor near the writing table.
"Father raised two very organized sons." Megamind replied as he made his way over to the suitcases and knelt. "All right... pajamas... he said they were in the smaller suitcase..."
Roxanne spotted a duffle bag that was hanging on the back of the door and grabbed it. Luckily it was already empty, and she handed it to Megamind once she got over to him. "Put the things in here, it'll make moving them easier."
"Good idea." he mumbled as he found some clothes for Bernard and began shoving them into the duffle bag.
"Wayne likes the color white doesn't he?" Roxanne asked, glancing around the room.
"And I like black. You should see my room." Megamind grinned faintly as he rolled up some thick wooly socks.
"Can I?" she asked.
Megamind froze, before glancing up at her. For a moment she thought he was freezing because he found her question of seeing his room shocking but she soon realized he had frozen on account of something else. Seemed Bernard had packed a few 'special' things into his suitcase and had never anticipated them being rifled through by the alien. Bottles of... let's call them lotion were there, accompanied by a deep purple colored toy you didn't see for sale in the kids toy section of your local Wal-Mart.
Roxanne stared for a second before she burst into laughter, clapping her hands over her mouth in an effort to plug the peals of laughter escaping her. The look on Megamind's face, that total shock, vulgar horror, and disgust had just been perfect. Couple that with the fact Bernard had been ballsy enough to pack such things didn't help the matter either. She giggled, highly amused, while Megamind placed the closest thing he could get his hand on over the toy and lotion, not wanting to see them. His face was violet.
"I think we have everything he needs." Megamind said stiffly.
"I w-would hope so!" Roxanne replied somehow, around her laughter.
"How many hidden houses are there in Metro City?" Roxanne asked as Megamind parked the car at the medical house, not an hour later.
"Classified." Megamind replied smugly as he climbed out of the car and, once more, opened her door for her to help her out before grabbing the duffle bag and another smaller bag Minion had packed. It had some fruit in it for Bernard, as well as some leftovers from the dinner the night previous that had been Sheppard's pie with steamed vegetables.
"Oh come on you can tell me." she grinned as he led her up the drive way to the house.
Megamind eyed the splintered doorframe, knowing Wayne must have come hammering his way into this house. "One day."
"Like your name?" Roxanne smirked.
"That's extra special classified." Megamind muttered.
"Megamind!" the woman's voice surprised Roxanne and she glanced up to see a beautiful long haired woman running down the stairs. Her hair was plaited this morning yet it still came down past her curvy hips. She wore a simple dress with pascal colors on it that looked like a rainbow that had been melted somewhere before being painted onto the dress. "I haven't seen you in forever!" she cried as she threw her arms around the blue skinned man.
"Isn't that a good thing?" he asked with a laugh, wrapping an arm around her. "It's good to see you, Lady."
"Pleasure is all mine. Now take that stupid disguise off, it does nothing for you." Lady laughed as she pulled back. She then spotted Roxanne and raised an eyebrow. "Roxanne Ritchi?" she asked.
"Yes?" Roxanne asked, not sure she liked seeing this beautiful woman hanging off of Megamind like that.
"Oh, it's so nice to meet you!" Lady made her way over to her, and took her hand into hers and shook it. "I am Lady Doppler."
"Lady Doppler?" she echoed.
"Lady is the Metro City Family's medical professional. Her and her parents, that is." Megamind explained. "She's the one I go to when I get wrecked."
"Lady." Roxanne echoed the name, suddenly remembering that Disney movie where the dogs name had been Lady.
"Lady." Lady confirmed before moving over to the grandfather clock and tugged on the metronome. "I'll show you through to where Wayne and Bernard are."
"How is Bernard? Is he awake yet?" Roxanne asked.
"Not yet, but he's been through a lot. But recovering nicely, as I thought he would." Lady explained as she showed them through the hidden doorway, down the stairs, and into the basement hospital. Roxanne observed the pristine white floors and walls, and glanced through doors they passed. There were operating rooms, consultancy rooms, one room full of medications and needles... "All the color's back to his face at least. Last night he looked like a statue, he was so gray."
"Poor guy." Megamind mumbled.
"Nothing I can't fix though. I'm the best at what I do." Lady grinned, winking at Megamind and causing Roxanne another flash of dislike. She walked on ahead, reaching for the doors and pushed through them first.
Roxanne took the opportunity to pull in close to Megamind and whispered. "She's very friendly to you."
"Well yeah she's my cousin." Megamind replied, voice normal volume, before walking into the recovery room and saw Bernard asleep in the bed, Wayne faithfully sitting besides him. "Wayne!" he said, pulling away from Roxanne and hurried up to his brother. "I'm so sorry." he said.
"Don't say that." Wayne smiled tiredly. "You don't apologize for this."
Megamind gave him a kicked puppy dog look before holding out the duffle bag. "Here's his clothes." he mumbled.
"Oh Bernard look at you." Roxanne whispered as she walked around to be on the other side of the bed, reaching out to gently stroke her fingers through the man's hair. "What happened exactly?" she asked.
"He must have been jumped in the library." Wayne explained quietly as he looked through the duffle bag. "The place had a bit of a mess but Bernard had the vampire follow him out into the streets."
Feeling his insides give a nasty squirm, Megamind pressed his hand to his chest. If he had only acted on that sighting, like he should have done, this would not have happened...
"I found him, all... beat up, half dead. I killed the vampire, brought him here and Lady did all the rest." Wayne said as he pulled out the rolled up socks. Standing up he moved to the foot of the bed and slowly tugged the blankets up to reveal Bernard's bare feet. As he worked the socks onto the mans feet he continued speaking. "He looked dead." his voice shook from the memory, Bernard's body cold and lifeless in his arms like that. "I'm sorry I didn't call you but I just... there wasn't anything any of us could do."
"You shouldn't have been alone." Megamind said.
"I needed to be here with him." Wayne explained, having placed Bernard's socks on his feet, he covered them with the blanket. "You can't be everywhere, Megamind. Remember?" he lifted his gaze to look at his brother. "You have too much responsibility for the people in this world but that doesn't mean you shouldn't take part in it yourself. Did you have fun, last night? Did you?" he asked.
Roxanne looked at Megamind.
"I did." he replied quietly. "I really, really did..."
"Then that's important." Wayne reached out and placed both of his hands on his brothers shoulders, smiling down at him. "You have to take care of yourself, not just everyone around you. All right?"
"...all right..." Megamind replied quietly.
"Ugh... God, did I come to during an OC episode...?"
Bernard's voice startled all of them and they all spun to look down at the man in the bed. His eyes were barely open, and he was slowly smacking his lips together.
"Bernard!" Wayne moved from Megamind to Bernard, taking his hand into his while the other caressed his face gently. "Oh thank God you're awake."
"Course I am..." Bernard mumbled. "Talking blobs everywhere..."
"Oh! Here, here." Roxanne looked through the bag and pulled out a spare pair of glasses and handed them to Wayne, who carefully slid them onto the man's face.
"A-ha. I see again. That's good..." sighed Bernard as he reached a hand and gripped at Wayne's wrist. "Hey you.."
"Hey. Hey..." Wayne smiled shakily. "You gave me a heart attack."
"Sorry..." Bernard smiled loosely, showing the pain medication was working since nobody ever seen the man smile like that before in his life. He then stretched carefully and growled in pain.
"Yeah you don't want to do that." Lady, having returned to the room, said as she walked up to him and pressed a hand to his forehead. "You have a few bruised ribs, your throat's going to be sore for a while too. Your wind pipe was almost crushed."
"I remember." Bernard grumbled.
"You're recovering nicely though." she added as she leaned against Wayne gently, resting her chin on his shoulder and smiled softly down at Bernard. "Tragically, you can thank that werewolf part of you for that. If you were just a normal guy, you'd be dead."
"Your bedside manner has much to be desired." Bernard grumbled.
"Well I'm not one to use overly complicated medical terminology. I think it's easier that way." Lady shrugged, patting Wayne's shoulder as she pushed away from him to check on the drip that was strung up besides the bed. "But the lycrapathy genes in your system is really helping your body recover the attack quicker, and mend at a faster pace. However much you hate being a werewolf, it's helped you this time around."
"Horay. Remind me to throw a party for it."
She laughed, and patted his shoulder gently. "Your humor's back already though. That's good."
"Can I get a bowl, please?" Roxanne asked. She held up the spare bag. "Minion sent some fruit, and a tray? Unless he can't eat-"
"I am eating that shepherds pie. Now." Bernard interrupted. "I can smell it from here. Give me." he reached with one of his hands.
Lady rolled her eyes. "Well fine. But only a little bit, no scarfing it like a dog all right?" she asked.
"Your level of humor amazes me." he replied flatly.
"Hey be nice to your doctor," Wayne grinned. "She might slip you something."
Bernard snorted, but smiled as he looked up at Wayne. Reaching up again he traced his hand against the man's cheek and jaw, and sighed. "I knew you were here." he said softly, gently. "Even if I wasn't all here I knew it... I could smell you, sense you. I even saw you, when you saved me even if I couldn't see. Thank you."
"Hey," Wayne replied softly as he covered Bernard's hand with his own before turning his head to press a kiss to the mans palm. "I can hardly call myself your boyfriend if I didn't do these things, could I?" he asked.
Meanwhile, Megamind had backed away from the group slightly. While it was great seeing Bernard already talking and joking with the group, he couldn't shake the feeling that this was his fault. He should have been more on his game, but how could he when he was spending so much of his down time studying and reading? What if this was only the first of many attacks? What if the next one to end up broken and injured was Minion, or worse, Roxanne?
He looked at the woman who had brought so much to his life already laughing and talking with her friend, showing all the concern she could for the injured librarian. Would she be capable of defending herself? She didn't have strength like Wayne, or a pain threshold and quick recovery like Bernard. Was he really an idiot for bringing her into this world? What if he was the weak link in a chain that brings an end to what the Family does by his actions? The very idea made him feel sick.
"Hey, blueberry head... come over here..." Bernard's voice cut through the fog of doubts and Megamind felt his feet move himself, and he was soon standing besides Wayne and looking down at Bernard. "I can smell your self doubting from here..."
"What? Don't be silly." Megamind replied quickly, glancing around. "I'm not thinking that."
"You so are." Wayne said.
"You shouldn't." Roxanne spoke up across from him. Megamind looked at her and she smiled softly. "This isn't your fault."
"This is a war." Wayne lifted his hand and placed it on Megamind's shoulder, pulling him close. "There's going to be casualties, injuries, but you can't blame yourself. They out number us so far, but that won't be for long. You've held Father's teachings all this time and you do a great job!"
"A marvelous job." Lady spoke up, and Roxanne turned her head to see the woman walk up besides her. Had she been here the entire time? "I remember seeing you in action four years ago when we were swarmed by that group of what, nine vampires?"
"And five humans." Megamind said feebly.
"You should have seen him," Lady turned to Roxanne. "He was brilliant. Those action movies that are all the rage now a days, fighting vampires and stuff like that? Their jaws would be on the floor if they saw him in action like I did that day. Have you seen him work?" she asked.
"Only twice..." Roxanne replied with a small, awkward smile.
"Isn't he great?" Lady asked.
"Oh believe me. I know he is." she glanced across at Megamind with a warm, knowing smile. "Twice he's saved me now, but the second time wasn't nearly as cut and clean."
"Oh?" the white haired woman looked at Megamind, curious.
"She came out swinging with a baseball bat and gave the changeling a concussion, I'm sure of it. She was in her dressing gown too." Megamind explained.
"That's impressive." Bernard mumbled. "Her Dad was an army man... didn't he teach all his girls to defend themselves...?" he asked.
"He did." Roxanne nodded. "He had us learn self defense and stuff like that."
"You never told me that." Megamind said, surprised.
"I didn't?" she asked, before blinking in surprise. "Huh. I guess I didn't."
Megamind stared at Roxanne blankly, before looking back down at Bernard. "Anything else you know about her she might not have told me?" he asked.
"Ah ah... that's going against the friend pact. No spilling beans of each other's deep dark secrets to other people." Bernard smiled faintly before shutting his eyes and yawned. When he yawned his mouth opened wide, bared his teeth and rolled his tongue much like a dog would.
"That's a sign he needs to sleep now." Lady said as she picked up the meal Megamind and Roxanne had brought. "He can have this later once he has a bit more strength."
"Can I still stay?" Wayne asked.
"You can if you want, I won't stop you." she smiled back at him and winked.
"Hey he's taken." Bernard piped up.
"He's my cousin." she replied.
"Adopted." Bernard shot back.
"It'd still be weird and besides, he's kind of on the other team aren't you Wayne?" Lady asked with a laugh, before rubbing his shoulder. "I tease. I'm sorry. But you two," she turned to Roxanne and Megamind. "Surely you have things to do. Let Bernard get his rest and Wayne can stay with him. You can all visit later."
Wishing Bernard farewell and a quick recovery Megamind and Roxanne were shown out.
Like Lady had said, they had things to do. She hugged and kissed Megamind before he left and waved goodbye to Roxanne before shutting the shaky door behind them. As the two of them walked down the stairs, Roxanne looked at Megamind who was already putting his disguise back on. "She seems... friendly." she commented.
"She's very friendly. I'm not that fond of it myself." Megamind admitted as he approached the car.
"So you'd object if I got as close to you as she did?" Roxanne asked, taking a step closer towards him, smiling playfully.
"Now you, that's a different story." he smiled, pausing to look at her with a grin.
"Oh yes?" she arched a brow.
"Very much yes. And why didn't you tell me you had self defense training?" he asked, setting a hand on his hip.
"Honestly forgot. Daddy wanted to ensure that his girls knew how to fight off attackers properly, since he said we were so beautiful any man would be out of his mind to not want us. But if they didn't understand the word 'no' we had to make sure he got the understanding. Mainly with our fists and feet. Or using what's in reach, hence why I like to keep a baseball bat in my room and mace in my back. Stun em, over power them, and run. That's the way I do it." Roxanne explained as she leaned against the Bentley.
"So why didn't you fight when that guy attacked you?" Megamind asked.
"I was pretty drunk, and believe me that is the first and last time that kind of thing will ever happen." she looked serious suddenly, eyes narrowing.
Megamind stared at her for a moment, before looking away momentarily. "Roxanne?" his voice was soft, quiet.
"Yes?" she asked.
"What would you say if... I offered to... to teach you a little bit more about fighting off attackers? Namely the ones with sharp teeth and cold skin?" Megamind asked.
"I would ask where do I sign up!" Roxanne replied brightly, "Will you? Would you? Could you?" she asked.
He was impressed by her enthusiasm, and couldn't help but laugh. "Yes, yes, and yes. As the fighter of my family I get to choose who I teach my knowledge to. Normally its to children but... well. Seeing how I don't think I'm ever going to have any, and neither is Wayne..."
Roxanne found that statement a little surprising. Megamind believed he would never have children? Well, considering his alien genetics and DNA, would he even be compatible with a human being? He was close enough in appearance, but she still had no idea what his reproductive organs looked like. Were they human in appearance, or something else like... tentacles, or maybe his organs looked female like? It was all too confusing to think about, and the realization she was making speculations about his junk made her blush faintly. She pushed the thoughts away, and concentrated on listening to what he was saying.
"I honestly believe you might be the one I'm meant to teach things to. You've been welcomed into this family seamlessly, you get along with everyone and I know you can look at a vampire without freaking out like most women would. Now, training won't be easy, it'll be hard, the training is rough and you'll be taught all manner of fighting styles and how to handle weaponry but I really think you have the determination to really-"
Megamind suddenly found Roxanne's arms around his shoulders, her body pressing tightly against his own, and her lips against his. For the third time in ten hours he was being kissed by the woman and he still felt the same thrill he had felt the first time in his car. His arms clung to her tightly as he kissed her back, uncaring if anyone inside the house may see them. Whatever this was, whatever it was that he had become to her, it was wonderful and amazing and he didn't want it to stop.
She broke the kiss, breath hot against his cheek, and he was sure his lips were swelling slightly.
"Yes, yes, yes, yes..." Roxanne whispered against his skin as she rested her head against his. "I want to know everything from you, about you, everything..."
"Now that's a lot..." he found his voice somewhere and it came out as a squeak.
"I know." she pulled back slightly but not entirely, his hands around her lower back kind of made it hard to do so. But in all honesty she didn't want to pull away from him either. "You'll discover I'm a fast learner."
"I believe you." Megamind nodded his head. "I really do."
Roxanne smiled at him again, and he felt his heart melt at the very sight of it. She looked so happy, so pleased to being drawn into his life and his world. Was it foolish to consider asking her? He didn't know. She seemed to want to do it, and that desire and yearning to learn, to help, to fight alongside him was quite possibly the most romantic thing he had ever encountered in his life. He kissed her again, and she did not pull away. Her hands were soft against the back of his head and back, her body warm and pressing against his in ways he never would have dreamed of, and her lips... oh her lips. He couldn't put words to describe them, he was no poet. He was a fighter.
The kiss ended and she laughed breathlessly, resting her forehead against his own.
"You're getting... very good at this..." Roxanne whispered.
"Thanks. I'm a fast learner too."
"Look at that, we actually got some kinda message from the guy!"
Elliott looked up as he saw the floor manager, Ian, sit back in surprise from his computer.
"From who?" he asked, walking over to the older man.
"Hal Stewart." Ian said as he looked at the e-mail. "Seems there's been a medical emergency in his family, he apologizes for not contact us before but he was too wrapped up with everything. His dad had a heart attack and he had to head out to see him... man. Looks like he might not even make it."
"That's horrible. Poor Hal." Elliott said on principle, even if he could barely stand the guy himself.
"Yeah... says he doesn't know how long he'll be gone but he knows he's got the leave to use so he's going to use it." Ian sighed and shook his head. "Roxanne will need to get herself a new cameraman while he's gone."
"I don't think she'll be too shattered over that." Elliott chuckled.
"Yeah you're probably right." Ian said as he read over the e-mail again.
To be continued